Feb Round up and March Wish List

You may remember I wanted earring parts and elastic last month. Well I did end up  making lots of earrings and bought extra to make a stitch marker as a gift (top right).

I also bought a hoop and some felt for backing it after becoming involved in another swap with someone who likes woodland animals. (top middle). I really hope they like it when it arrives. I was a bit lazy and glued it down but I like it as seems more flawless somehow.

The whole middle row I made from items I have in my house. In fact I made about 10 each of the project bags and butterflies. These are for sale on my Facebook page. The corsage brooch is for a swap and the tutorial can be found at Lavender & Twill.

I recently made a mini cooker as a gift and was very last minute gift. I had the idea bought the stuff and bang it’ done. I love a on the spot project. Middle bottom is my valentines jar for my partner and was completely free, can you name the brand of jar I used.

Lastly to go with the mini cooker every boy need an oven glove to protect himself so as my sons loves dogs I got him this fabric to add to his box. In fact today is his birthday so will update on my Facebook page how he liked (or disliked) his gifts.

Next months wishes are:

Felt As ever I’m trying to find ways to make what I can and I wanted my boys to have fun Easter bags so will be using some felt from my local market to make them some up. We like to hide small eggs around the house and they can do a mini hunt. It’s always cold and wet on Easter Sunday here so in the house is much easier first thing in the morning.

I plan to make more swap gifts, release a pattern or two and I need to get on with Rune’s next size clothes before he needs them so may be in need of fabric watch this space.

Also this month I released 2 new patterns one for dolls one for home. Click the picture for this Red Cape inspired by a certain fairy tale the other pattern well you’ll have to find that for yourself…..

As well as new ones I re released an old one with extra files added on and improved squares. The old one is useable still and yours to keep but the new one are slightly more even squares, more testing and reshaping. As well as all that you get lowercase, numbers AND motifs! It’s available as a whole set but I am also sorting out listings for each thing so if you only want one feature you can just buy that one.

 

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Oven Glove and Felt food

Did you see my Runes Mini Cooker last week? Well he needed an oven glove and some bits of felt food aswell so here’s how I did it.

Oven Glove

First up you need to draw roughly around the child’s hand, as it’s an oven glove it doesn’t need to be a perfect fit. Rune is only 2 and small for his age so this step is vital for a custom fit. If you are making as a gift or other reasons you could use a glove instead. (1). Don’t forget to roughly mark where the thumb is.

You can then straighten up your lines to make it more glove like and neater (2). I included measurements on mine so if you’re struggling you can see how big mine was for a 2 year old. (3).

Using your new template cut out 4 gloves, make sure 2 are mirrored which is easily done by folding your fabric and cutting out 2.  Sew round both from bottom edge up and around to the thumb then around that and down (4). In one glove leave a gap on the side that has no thumb, this is your lining.

Turn your outer glove the right way (5) and place inside the lining then sewing around the top edge (6). You will now pull out the outer glove and turn the lining the right way out using the gap you left in the side (7). You should have a funny looking double glove (8).

You can then fold under the gap edges and sew closed using a straight stitch or you can hand sew it closed. Place lining inside the glove and iron. You may wish to top stitch the wrist edge but ironing it flat is fine. Here is the nearly birthday boy with his oven glove. As you can see it fits great.

Bacon

So first up you need to draw a kind of bacon shape. Most tutorials you see are for the rectangle rashers but we have bacon that is like this so I wanted to recreate this. It sort of looks like a mini shoe but I have again included measurements for you. You could could even zoom in and print the picture as your template. (1). Sew the two pieces together along the curved in edge but leave the other side unsewn (2). Set your machine to do a satin stitch (tight zigzag). Start off thin then slowly increase the width whilst sewing up the left edge (3).

This is in hope of resembling fat. You can create a little design too.

Egg

First up use a compass to draw a small circle. Mine is labelled 3 cm but when making it I found a 4 cm circle is best. I then used the inside of a sellotape roll for the egg. I then drew a rough shape around for the egg white. Cut out the smaller circle in yellow for the yolk and 2 in white of the bigger shape.

Place the yellow circle in centre of one while and sew. Place the second white underneath and sew close to the edge, trimming the edges slightly to neaten. Eggshellent (sorry!!)

Pasta

You will need a template for this mine is 5 cm wide by 2.5 cm high.

Cut as many of these as you want for your pasta. You will then need pinking shears or small scissors to cut the edges off into a zigzag. (1). Fold your shape in half lengthwise (2) then fold the edge back down to the folded edge (3). You should end up with a concertina effect.

Knot a needle up with similar shade of thread. I threaded it so there was 4 strands and place the needle about half way (4). Wrap the thread around the middle and secure at the back of the pasta (5). You now have one pasta shape which you can repeat (6). Once you get started it’s not too bad and a nice quick project.

I’m just a little pleased with this set and goes to show what you can make quite cheaply but still create a fantastic useable gift.

Miniature Travel Play Cooker

It’s a certain persons 2nd birthday! I am not even sure who that happened because he only just turned one but here he is skipping a year and turning 2. (I’m not crying….. honestly).

Anyone in my new vow to make what I can I decided he would love some little pans but then of course a cooker is needed because you can can’t just cook with a pan. We don’t have tons of room and I have a corner for toys with no intention of sacrificing more so a mini easy to store cooker was needed.

I bought a box from eBay with a lid which was perfect for the job as I needed some storage too. If you’re not too bothered about wanting a box you can use a tray or smaller box for this.

You will need the box or whatever you wish to use, some wood circles and door knobs. I chose to have 3 hob plates so I could add a big one I then needed 3 drawer knobs. You can get the circles here . 

I used acrylic paint to paint the circles grey and added a red felt dot to the middle for the hot spot (1).

The main front area of my box is 28 cm so it divided nicely up into 7 cm per quarter situating a knob at 7, 14 and 21 cm (2). To attach I put the screw through the front just enough to poke out inside  then I undid it and redid it inside. Much easier that messing about inside where there’s less room. The knobs then just screw on. I did need smaller ones though as drawers tend to be thicker so had to get some 20 mm screws so they were flush to the box. (4)

Once they were all stuck down using strong glue I used my helix circle template to create the coloured in circles you find on ovens. (3)

I first off used an pen, then permanent marker but both bled slightly so I would recommend stickers or painting them on in future or if you’re using a slightly better quality wood box you might find the pen is fine.

I added on a name and even added a model number to the back which is Rune’s birthday date .

He can now store his pans and food in ready to cook at a moments notice. I will be making him an oven glove so watch out for that tutorial next week.

Project Bag – Sewing Tutorial

Today we have a project bag! These will be for sale on my Etsy store so watch this space!

These bags are great for your knitting, crochet or sewing project. They make great toy or toiletries bags too and can be made any size.

First up we need to decide how big to make them. Mine are 24 x 33 cm when flat.

you need  2 rectangles for lining 27 x 35 cm

2 strips for top of bag 8 x 27 cm (1)

2 outers which are main section of bag 27 x 29 (2)

First step is to pin the upper strip right sides together with the main section and sew into place (3).

You can then pin the two outer’s together matching up seams. Rights sides together again. Before you sew this measure 1 inch from top and mark that point then measure 1 inch below and mark that too. The section between marks you need to leave unsewn. (4) This gap will form the holes for your ribbon and it’s a good idea to top stitch around the gap for neatness.

Once you’ve sewn the lining up without any extra gaps you can go ahead with creating the box base. Pop your hand into the bag to open it up with a finger in the corner (5). Pinch the base matching up the side and bottom seam (6)

Flatten it down so the base is on your table and side is standing up. Measure across the corner 10 cm ensuring the 5 cm mark matches the seam. (7). Repeat for both lining and outer corners ensuring to mark and sew it on the wrong/ sewing side. Trim the excess.

Turn the lining so the right side is facing out and the sewn seams are inside. Keeping the outer with sewn seams on outer place lining inside outer so that right sides are together and match side seams. (8) Sew along top of the bag leaving a gap for turning (9).

Turn the entire bag out with the outer fabric still inside the bag. Line it all up so the top is flat and the base of both slot into each other. Ironing helps here. Sewing inside the bag along bottom of top strip creates a channel for the ribbon (10).  Keeping the outer inside for this makes it much easier to keep it all flat and easier to turn.

Turn bag out the right way  and lay down (11). Cut ribbon to fit twice the width of the bag plus about 10-15 cm, you’ll need 2 lengths like this. First up thread the ribbon through one side and keep going until it reaches the same whole then tie it off. With next length start from opposite side and again thread through until reach same hole and knot it. You will end up with 2 knots either side that when pulled close up the bag. You can stick with one and use a toggle to secure if prefer.

 

Iron your bag to make it look lovely and neat. Of course ironing before you start is much easier but sometimes it can get crumpled with all the pinching and turning needed. If you use contrast lining when it is sewn up you get a lovely flash of colour at the top.

You can create a full bag with no strip but its a great way to create a stylish looking bag with small effort.

Cardboard Drawers

Today is using match boxes and cardboard to make mini drawers. With having a new unit and lots of bits and bobs I need some drawers but wanted to make them.

I collected 4 large match boxes to form the main part of my drawers and glued them together (1). I wanted a little extra storage on top so I made a template. Measure the width and depth of the top which for me was 13.5 and 12 cm. I wanted it to be 5 cm in height.

I drew my template so the extra shelf had a roof, bottom, 2 sides and a back. I drew a rectangle 13.5 cm width with 12 cm depth ( or height as you draw). I extended this by 3 cm to form half the side. Under the big rectangle I drew the back which was 5 cm x 13.5 cm (height of shelf x width of boxes).

I then repeated the top under that to create the base except I made the sides here 4 cm. I realise this equals 7 cm but it will overlap to form a stronger side. I extended the sides from the back to add extra too. (2) You will need to cut this out.  The darker lines you will cut too but leave the rest of your lines intact.

Score all your lines that need folding. and fold them in. I folded mine with white on outside and pattern inside but soon swapped it over so be sure your inside is the plain side. Fold over your sides with the smaller back extension being most inner (3) and fold over one side gluing in place. Fold over the other side (4) and glue down. Repeat for other side of the shelf.

You will need to glue this shelf to your drawers. I found it easier to glue on top them flip it over to press gently . Flip it back and ensure it’s all stuck down. (5).

Prepare the back of the drawers by using patterned card or glue paper onto card and cut to size (height of drawers plus shelf x width). (6).

Glue paper to the sides overlapping at the back, top and bottom. Glue in place and repeat for other side. (7). Glue the back of your drawers. Be sure to only glue non moving parts, if it helps take your drawers out then glue the back you created on (8)

Measure your drawer fronts ( 6 x 2 cm) and cut out decorative rectangles to stick on. I did mine slightly smaller so they don’t get caught when I’m using the drawers. Make a hole in the centre and place knotted ribbon through. You can either push it through, using a wool needle, from the front and knot then tie off or tie it and push through from the inside of the drawers.

Alternatively you can make 2 holes and create a mini handle with cord, ribbon or beads. You could also glue a bead to the front or use a paper fastener.
Here’s my drawers in place. I placed sparkly card on top of the whole lot to glitz it up a bit and placed my bits and bobs inside.

Crochet Earrings- FREE pattern

Later than normal today it’s amazing how time goes and you realise it’s blog day but you’re not organised.

Today’s post is something I wanted to try which stemmed from wanting some dream catcher earrings and a certain person promising to buy as a present but said earrings going out of stock. So I decided to crochet some and of course you can just make one pair.

I got all my earring supplies from Beads Unlimited which I found good fun to scroll through. I bought 25 mm gold hoops with jump rings and earring hooks to match then gun metal chandeliers with matching jump rings and earring hooks. Of course you can make these earrings bigger but you will need to add extra rounds.

This can be quite the fiddly project and you’ll need to be used to working with thread and small hooks but there are made up of very few rounds and as a result are fast to make. Against the gold and gun metal (or silver if your prefer) the colours look lovely.

I had to buy packs of 10 with the chandeliers and the hoops only came in pairs but it was still a cheap venture I bought some extra beads, silver hooks and backs, lobster clips and another charm to make a stitch marker and only spent £11.

To download your copy for free for a limited time you’ll need to log on to Ravelry.

Valentine Jar of Hearts

With 2 birthdays and an MOT due valentines this year is a made gift. I keep trying to get out of any gift each year but I don’t have the heart (see what I did there) to receive a gift and not give something back so this is the result.

I decided a jar of love would be a fun project but mean so much more although I’m willing to accept a shop bought gift in return.

I cut out lots of hearts I couldn’t tell you how many but around 50-60. On some I wrote funny or nice memories, some I wrote goals, others I wrote why I love him. Some I decided to draw maps on of places that mean something or that we had firsts in including where our children were born. 

There were a few with song quotes on also. A number of them were purely decorative with a few love hearts and kisses thrown in.

Top left is the red heart which is a origami heart you can gently blow into to inflate. Click here to view the video

Next to it is 2 concertina hearts this were so much fun to make and super easy! Click here to view the video.

The orange heart is another type of origami heart and the easiest complicated looking one I managed. Click here to see how.

There are lots of other versions big or small you can find by looking online. I found a few hard to do but it’s all good fun!